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- Title
Pancreatic alpha-cell mass across adult human lifespan.
- Authors
Moin, Abu Saleh Md; Cory, Megan; Gurlo, Tatyana; Saisho, Yoshifumi; Rizza, Robert A.; Butler, Peter C.; Butler, Alexandra E.
- Abstract
Aim: To establish pancreatic alpha-cell mass in lean, non-diabetic humans over the adult lifespan, performed as a follow-up study to beta-cell mass across the adult human lifesp an. Methods: We examined human pancreatic autopsy tissue from 66 lean, non-diabetic individuals aged from 30 to 102 years, grouped into deciles: 3rd (30-39 years), 4th (40-49 year s), 5th (50-59 years), 6th (60-69 years), 7th (70-79 years), 8th (80-89 years) and 9th deciles (90+ years). Sections of panc reas were immunostained for glucagon and analyzed for fractional alpha-cell area. Population-based pancreatic volume data were used to calculate alpha-cell mass. Results: With advanced age, the exocrine pancreas undergoes atrophy dem onstrated by increased fat area (as % exocrine area) (0.05 ± 0.01 vs 1.6 ± 0.7% fat area of total exocrine pancreas, 3rd vs 9th decile, P < 0.05). Consequently, islet density increases with age (2.7 ± 0.4 vs 10.5 ± 3.3 islets/mm2, 3rd vs 9th decile, P < 0.05). Alpha-cell fractional area increases with advanced age (0.34 ± 0.05% vs 0.73 ± 0.26%, 3rd vs 9th decile, P < 0.05). However, alpha-cell mass remains constant at ~190 mg throughout the adult lifespan in le an, non-diabetic humans. Within islets, alpha-cell distribution between mantle and core is unchanged across decile s (1862 ± 220 vs 1945 ± 200 vs 1948 ± 139 alpha cells in islet mantle/mm2, 3rd vs 6th vs 9th decile, P = 0.93 and 1912 ± 442 vs 1449 ± 123 vs 1514 ± 168 alpha cells in islet core/mm2, 3rd vs 6th vs 9th decile, P = 0.47), suggesting that human islets retain their structural organization in the setting of age-related exocrine atrophy. Conclusions: Consistent with our previous findings for beta-cell mass, alpha -cell mass remains constant in humans, even with advanced age. Pancreatic endocrine cells are much mor e robustly preserved than exocrine cells in aged humans, and islets maintain their structural integrity througho ut life.
- Subjects
ISLANDS of Langerhans; ARCHAEOLOGICAL human remains; LEAN body mass; GASTRIC inhibitory polypeptide; PANCREAS
- Publication
European Journal of Endocrinology, 2020, Vol 182, Issue 2, p219
- ISSN
0804-4643
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1530/EJE-19-0844